Adrian came in, his hair still damp from the shower, kissing my cheek. “Morning, English, I know it’s not quite the Liffey, but I hope the view helps.
“There is more than one beautiful view here,” I smiled.
Adrian laughed as he poured himself some of that vile coffee. “Are youse coming to the studio today for the interview recordings?”
“Do you mind if I don’t, there is somewhere I need to go.”
“Do ye need me to come with?” he started flicking through messages on his phone. “I might be able to move a few things around this afternoon if Shelly isn’t on the rampage.”
I shook my head. “I’ll be okay, I kinda need to do this one on my own.”
Adrian dropped the phone by her plate. “At least take this until Shelly can get youse one set up. You can call her or one of the guys if you get in any trouble, I would rather know ye are safe on the streets here.”
“I grew up here, you know that right?”
“Your ex is also no doubt in the area, so I would prefer to know where youse are.” I went to put the phone away, but it rang. Ade sighed, grabbing it. “Yeah, yeah I’m coming in ten. No, I’m not. Okay, fine. Two minutes.” He gave her the phone back again. “Sorry darling, duty calls.”
I sighed but wished him a good day at work anyway. I knew it wasn’t his fault. Being dragged off in the middle of any conversation we tried to have. It was just his job and being so close to tour things like this were bound to keep happening. I’d been around my ex long enough to know what the life was like. I just didn’t have to like it.
There was a piece of my past I needed to deal with today. I grabbed some pastries to eat on the tube as I travelled across the city. It was strange to be back here, even after only a few short weeks. Two years I lived here with my ex in his/our apartment, just off the edge of Soho. Personally, I would have preferred a more normal part of London, like Hammersmith. And my normal, no I do not mean straight before you get any ideas. Just because I am doesn’t mean that I don’t enjoy the company of or being in gay bars. They tend to be less full of drama, and better music than most of the trendy wine bars in the city. However, I did not so much enjoy the entitled uber stars or the expensive flats the size of a shoebox that were dotted all over the area due to the easy access to the theatres. At least in Hammersmith you had the great Odeon theatre or whatever name it was currently using. Where all the greats once played. I would love to perform on that stage one day.
As well as the kind of shops everybody could shop in without a bank loan. Including some secondhand clothes places where I used to get designer clothes for a fraction of the price. The problem with being trendy in London, you could never be seen wearing the same thing twice. So, brand new clothes worn once tended to turn up weeks after they came out. As well as those amazing outdoor food stalls I always ended up visiting. I had even hoped to buy my own flat there one day, before everything happened.
At least I knew my way around the tube network, it had taken me a while not being used to traveling on my own. Until I had worked out there were several ‘central hub’ stations that everything ran through. After that, it was easy. Although I still preferred to walk where I could. I skirted by the building that we used to live in. I couldn’t help but pause to look up at it, there were some good times there before that blonde guy moved in, convincing my ex to throw me out. So much for my name being on the deed, clearly if you had enough money, nothing legal mattered anymore. You could just bribe your way out of any situation. Christmas lights already stung their way across the window where I used to sleep. I hated to think how it looked inside as they prepared for their first holiday together. All that cute was too much to think about, I would throw up my breakfastA little as it had been. I wondered where I would end up this Christmas. Alone no doubt.
I forced myself to carry on down the street towards the crappy little storage until they had rented for my belongings after throwing me out. I had literally gone to work, come home to find the bimbo at the door, throwing my overnight bag at me and the key to a storage unit. I wasn’t allowed to pack my things myself to keep them safe, or even told they wanted me to move out. Bimbo decided it all, and of course my ex wouldn’t take any of my calls. I spent a few days in a hotel trying to get in touch with him, until the funds I had left almost ran out. Other than the ticket to Dublin I booked as a trip for us away together. It was all paid for, so I might as well go. I had cashed in his ticket as well as my return flight so I could afford to eat at least while I was there. Seemed Bimbo helped himself to my accounts, cleaning out the joint account, most of my savings and maxing out all of my credit cards. He hadn’t just left me penniless; he left
